The Arizona sentinel., 1887-01-01

temptuOusly on the floor, and utter inn
 precations against the cook; or, per
 haps, he and his messmates will form a
 melancholy procession and carry the
 objectionable rations aft for the inspec-
 ton of the capta However, when
 the watch below have finished their
 brief breakfast they cut up some to-
 bacco and enjoy smoke. Then
 "eight bells'' is struck-that is
 eight o'clock in the morning-and
 they proceed on deck to relieve their
 comrades. Unless the work of ''holy-
 stoning" is being carried on, the opera
 ton of washing the decks is usually
 completed by "eight bells" COnsa-
 quently the men who come on deck at
 that time betake themselves to various
 other duties about the ship.
 The days work at sea is full of in-
 finite variety. In stormy and variable
 W ather there is, of course, plenty of
 seamanship about the mems duties:
 yards have to be trimmed according to
 the wind, sails furled and running-gear
 attended to; bit in calm weather the
 sailor develops into curious jack of
 all trades. In an iron ship the rust has
 to be continually ch h'pped off her sides,
 and this is an unenviable task on a
 tropical day; then there is always plen-
 ty of painting to be done. Every Sat
 urday morning the masts have to be
 greased down to preserve them from
 the burn ng sun, and words fail to eX-
 press how unsavory ths performance
 is. Periodica ly the ropes of the vessel
 are ta red all over, and the tar adheres
 to the men s hands for months. Three
 or four of the best men are cont nu lily
 busy repairing the rigging and chafng
 gear, while others are cont nually en- ployed about the decks, 'seizing"
 blocks, putting new strands in ropes, etc. The boys and .apprent' ces lave generally to fetch and hold the tar and grease-pots and marline spikes for the men at work, not at all an unpleasant task in fine weather, up on q topgallant yard, out of the mates way, although a knowledge of the art of holding on by one'e eyelids is often des rable. It is curious what quant ty of work there is always to be done aboard ship.
 The morning watch go below to their dinner at twelve o'clock, their comrades who came on deck to relieve them hay ing previously been awakened from their slumbers at twenty minutes past eleven in order to partake of the mid day meal. Here is beautiful arrange ment: These latter breakfasted at eight o'clock; after that they smoked, ''yarned," mended, or washed their clothes, and turned into their hunks to sleep, but soon after eleven they are vociferously aroused to eat dinner of hot pea soup and unpalatabie salt pork. Imagine what appetite sailor has for this unspeakable meal on burning hot day in the tropics. Then at twelve o'clock they go on deck to relieve their mates, who come below in state of profuseperspiration, to eniow similar repast. Something might be said in favor of the pea soup if it were only well prepared, but as rule, it is most untempting fluid, served up in an unctuous tin. In order to lessen the somewhat this compound is given to the men on alternate days, and there is a streak of philanthropy evi- dent in this. Nor is the meat much better; one day it is salt pork, which may or may not be rancid; the next day it is piece of baneful beef, familiarly known as "salt junk" After every meal the sailor indulges in his pipe; this is more to him than his breakfast, d.n- ner or tea
 The average allowance in merchant ships to each man and boy is one and half pounds of beef, or one and a quarter pounds of pork, besides about of a pound of flour with the beef, and full supply of pea soup with the latter. The quantity is sutficl- ent; it is the quality that lacks. Three quarts of water are always allowed to each man per day. But ships vary a great deal, as much in the quality as the quantity of food they serve out. This depends upon the class of owners, the captain, steward, and even the cook. Some ships regularly provide pickles or butter; others serve out preserved and timed meats twice week; while few do not even allow timed meat on Sundays. But, taken in the aggregate, sa lors' food is miser- ably bad. The flour is always more or less musty and sour, and even sometimes so full of weevils as to have quite gray color.
 The afternoon watch on deck is em- ployed in tasks of the same kind as the duties wh ch engaged the morning hours. A four o'clock p. m. the watch is again changed; thus it may be seen that, generally speaking, the men have four hours on duty and four off But if this varlation took place with regularity it is evi- dent that one set of men would always be on deck the greater part of the night They would turn out at 8 D. m., and remaIn on duty till midnight; then they would have four hours rest and rise again at four in the morning; so with every night. Accord ngly, in order that one watch should not always have the long n ght duty, there are what are nautically called the ''dog " These are the hours between 1 p. m., and s p. m. The afternoon watch on deck, that go below to their tea at four o'clock, come on deck again at six o'clock; so they have their two hours 'dog watch" At eight they go below again; thus the night watches are varied. The term ''dog watch" l be- lieve, originates in the jocund idea that dog might be able. to take charge of the ship between six and eight in the evening. At six the seaman finishes his day work as jack of all trades, and, unless there are nautical duties to be performed, owing to the variability of the weather, both watches have leisure to smoke. yarn or sing songs as the